Chapter 131: From Pliers to Promos

President Shim let out a hollow laugh.

“The Woo-Kwang labor union is protesting fiercely every day? Even occupying the office?”

“Yes.”

“Heh, heh heh heh. Are these bastards out of their minds?”

President Shim’s hollow laughter showed no sign of stopping.

“How absurd. Really. I can’t even believe it, even after hearing it. They’re causing such trouble in times like these?”

President Shim shook his head in disbelief.

“And not just at any time—right after the merger and acquisition. Are these guys really set on getting themselves all fired?”

I agree.

“What’s a merger and acquisition anyway? It means one company gets sold and handed over to another. That usually happens when the business has completely gone under.”

There’s no reason to sell off a business that’s running well to someone else.

“Why do you think they cut unnecessary staff when they’re trimming down unnecessary business?”

President Shim clicked his tongue.

“It’s so they can put their own people in those empty spots.”

Is there ever a seat that’s just waiting for my person to sit in?

If a rolling stone is going to push out the stone already in place, they at least need the excuse of restructuring.

That’s why restructuring right after a merger and acquisition is inevitable.

“The Woo-Kwang labor union surely knows all this. They know if they get on the wrong side of the upper management now, they’ll be fired without mercy.”

It was about people’s livelihoods.

When Grandfather decided to break off the engagement and hand over Taeseong Chemical, this was what weighed most on his mind.

—I’m holding back Woo-Kwang from charging ahead with the restructuring, yelling to sell it off right away.

—Two thousand jobs—that’s enough mouths for eight thousand people, counting their families.

President Shim spoke indifferently.

“We hold the leash. If they don’t want to have cobwebs in their mouths, the ones who need to watch out are...”

“But the union is occupying the office, shutting down the factory and workplaces, raising their voices in front of the newspapers and broadcasters, and yet?”

“······.”

That was the reality.

“President Shim, right now Woo-Kwang Chemical is floating in limbo.”

In barely less than three months, Taeseong Chemical had gone through dramatic upheavals.

From Taeseong to Woo-Kwang, from Woo-Kwang back to Taeseong.

How many people moved during that process?

“We guaranteed job succession, but during the reacquisition process, the term ‘complete job succession’ was never used.”

“Even if such terms were used, things can always change depending on the situation. That’s how business works.”

President Shim leaned back into the sofa.

“It’s the weak dog that barks. Maybe they’re desperately making a fuss so their voices and existence don’t get buried, but in times like these, the executives and managers need to step up and...”

“The executives and managers at Woo-Kwang Chemical have joined the protests too.”

“······What did you just say?”

President Shim unfolded his crossed legs and returned them to their original position.

He leaned his body toward Father.

“What are Woo-Kwang Chemical’s executives and managers doing?”

“They’re not just watching the union’s protests—they’re actually supporting them.”

“These damned bastards...!”

President Shim’s expression hardened.

Father’s face was just as stiff.

“So, the executives are encouraging the situation to get worse?”

“They voluntarily dismissed the security guards. While the office was being occupied, they not only failed to report it, but didn’t even put up any resistance.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a collective boycott.”

President Shim, apparently dumbfounded, let out another hollow laugh.

“Did they all eat rat poison or something?”

“I’m sure they had their own calculations.”

Father gave a bitter smile.

“As you know, I don’t have nearly enough available executive-level personnel right now.”

It was the president position he’d taken over while cleaning up Taeseong Construction.

And what about the Taeseong Chemical executives who’d promised to back Father?

“The Taeseong Chemical executives were assigned to Middle Eastern construction sites long ago, aiming for promotion instead of demotion.”

“······That’s right.”

“And the former Taeseong Construction executives have come under President Shim.”

“Sigh. There really are no outstanding executives available for immediate deployment.”

President Shim also furrowed his brow deeply.

“But it’s not like only Taeseong Construction and Taeseong Chemical are suffering an executive manpower shortage. If you look at the entire Taeseong Group, it’s not necessarily so.”

“Yes, that’s probably true.”

“Why not talk to the Chairman? There’s no way he’d just sit back and watch all this...”

“He told me to handle it myself.”

“······Excuse me?”

President Shim cried out in shock.

“The Chairman really said that?”

“Yes.”

“Someone that devoted to the company? No way, he’s not someone who’d make that kind of decision.”

“He declared from the start that he was stepping away.”

“What?”

“A month ago, when he handed over Taeseong Chemical to my wife, he told me to wring what I could out of it, recruit by any means, and grow it as much as possible.”

“So the Chairman is basically washing his hands of this?”

“He added that hunting should be done outside, not at home.”

President Shim’s jaw dropped.

In other words, isn’t he warning not to touch his own people?

“I was going to have to clean house and put my own people in anyway, but since Woo-Kwang has given me the perfect excuse, it actually works out.”

“Hmm.”

“He said I should experience firsthand just how complex and difficult the web of money, people, and interests in business can be.”

Father let out a long sigh.

“But as you know, executive-level talent doesn’t just drop from the sky.”

“So Woo-Kwang’s executives and union have sensed the situation and are brazenly pushing back.”

It was a difficult situation.

President Shim clenched his fists.

“Someone must be egging them on from behind. Otherwise, how would they know these internal details...”

It was obvious.

So President Shim could only swallow the words rising in his throat and let out a long sigh instead.

“I don’t know why the Chairman decided to set up a management power struggle for the successor’s seat ten years down the line, but for Master Sungjun, it’s become an extremely unfavorable fight.”

President Shim clicked his tongue softly.

“Compared to the other young masters who’ve had a decade or so to grow their power within their subsidiaries, Master Sungjun has only just started handling one for a couple of months...”

“It can’t be helped. I volunteered to go to the Middle East, after all.”

Father spoke in a serious voice.

“That’s why I came to see you today. Please, President Shim, help me.”

“······How can I help you?”

“I’d like you to take charge of Taeseong Chemical again.”

“Taeseong Chemical?”

President Shim couldn’t hide his look of surprise.

The more Father spoke, the more earnest his voice became.

“Now that the Taeseong Chemical executives have been dispatched elsewhere, we’re facing a huge vacancy, and the Woo-Kwang executives are running wild. The union too, on top of that.”

“Hmm.”

“In this chaotic situation, we need to unite the two divided factions and lead the company forward. An experienced management team is desperately needed. I’m asking for your help.”

Father bowed his head.

“If you want to bring back the factory staff who transferred to Taeseong Construction, I’ll let you have them.”

“Master.”

“I’ll also send word to the Taeseong Chemical executives who went to the Middle East, encouraging them to return.”

“What about the construction projects you’ve landed in the Middle East? Are you going to just leave them? Weren’t those contracts worth a hundred million dollars?”

President Shim pursed his lips like a goldfish, caught in a bind.

It was a face that couldn’t easily accept, but couldn’t outright refuse either.

---

I cut off the shared vision with the Grim Reaper and snapped my head up.

Everyone in the office, who’d been pretending to work hard while watching me, immediately buried their heads in their work.

Only Oh Jungseop, who’d been stuck with a mountain of tasks as punishment for getting on my bad side, kept cursing under his breath, completely unconcerned.

Clap!

I sprang to my feet and clapped my hands together.

“I’ve got a suggestion.”

“What is it?”

“How about we all go out for fieldwork together today, then just head home early? What do you think?”

“······!”

The office crew turned to look at me with shock on their faces.

They looked like they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

“If things go well, we get off early. If things go even better, group dinner on me. Deal?”

“P-please, stop with the scary talk!”

Huh?

This wasn’t the reaction I’d expected.

“Group fieldw-ooork?”

“Early leeeave?”

“Group diiiinner?”

Why were they all gritting their teeth like this?

“How hard are you planning to work us outside?”

“If I’m going to drop dead from overwork, at least let it not be on the street.”

“Isn’t this going to be death by overwork, not a work injury?”

Their faces were full of suspicion.

“Well, if you don’t want to, then don’t.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

Yoo Jongtae, my quick-witted bodyguard and right-hand man, asked slyly,

“What’s the reason for suddenly suggesting a group fieldwork trip?”

Tough-guy Oh Jungseop shouted,

“Is this some kind of penalty for disobeying the boss’s orders? Are you dragging us up Cheonggye Mountain again?”

The tutors looked bewildered.

“You lucky bastards!”

Once again, the ex-Taeseong Group executives started up their old complaints.

“Some of us got dragged up Cheonggye Mountain in the middle of the night and buried alive, while others were just sitting pretty at home teaching lessons?”

“I had a tooth pulled out with pliers just for talking back!”

“Have you ever been slapped in the face with cold water in midwinter? My bones still ache from it!”

Whether the tutors turned pale or not,

The former Taeseong Group executives shivered as they recalled those days.

“I’ve gone toe-to-toe with gangsters and even carried out forced evictions!”

“I’ve got a heavy equipment license, you know! I’ve demolished shacks, but I never thought I’d be buried in a grave!”

“If nearly getting my hands cut off wasn’t enough, now I’m about to have my fingernails pulled out alive!”

No matter how ashen the tutors’ faces got,

The ex-Taeseong Group executives only got more excited, ready to brag even more, so I had to raise my hand to stop them.

“Are you going to keep interrupting me? If you get on my nerves, should we all meet up at Cheonggye Mountain at midnight after work?”

Yoo Jongtae slid open a drawer and took out some pliers.

“Should I pull out their tongues?”

“If you’re all going to run your mouths on fieldwork, we’ll have to do a group meeting in Taeseong Hospital’s ER.”

“Shall I pull out their teeth?”

“Even if you pawn gold teeth, it’s not worth much. If you’re going to lose teeth anyway, might as well yank them out fresh.”

Finally, everyone fell silent.

I looked around at the office staff.

“Let’s go recruit some new blood.”

“······!”

Everyone in the office turned to look at me.

They looked like they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

“All of a sudden?”

“For real?”

“To where?”

“To Taeseong Chemical.”

I grinned broadly.

“The chemical factory folks are protesting under the name of Woo-Kwang because they’re worried about losing their jobs, you know?”

The former Taeseong Construction executives responded indifferently.

“If it’s Woo-Kwang’s union, it’s got nothing to do with us...”

“By the way, the Taeseong Chemical where the Woo-Kwang union is making trouble? That’s my mom’s company.”

The indifferent former Taeseong Construction executives immediately straightened up in their seats.

“The troublesome Woo-Kwang executives are all scheduled for a mass purge, by the way.”

“Why are we getting involved in purging Woo-Kwang executives...”

“That just means more spots will open up for replacements, right?”

“······!”

At the word ‘replacement,’ the ex-Taeseong Construction executives froze as if struck by lightning.

“You all know firsthand how I handle the executives I pick up after a purge, don’t you?”

“······!”

“If those guys are out, there’ll be a lot of empty seats at Taeseong Chemical, won’t there?”

“······!”

The ex-Taeseong Construction executives who caught my drift widened their eyes.

“Are you going to spend your career doing nothing but pouring drinks until you retire? Don’t you hear your liver rotting, your brain melting?”

“Ugh!”

“From assistant manager to department head, you get loaded with work, get scolded by the sales team, get chewed out by the president—just breathing means you get chewed out every day.”

“Aaagh!”

“Don’t you miss the days when you had subordinates, spent weekends being flattered, played golf matches for bets?”

“I miss them!”

Their wide-open eyes began to sparkle with naked greed.

“You folks who faced off with gangsters for forced evictions, don’t tell me you don’t have the guts to go up against the union and make them your juniors?”

“No way! Boss, let me give it a try!”

Oh Jungseop, best known for his guts, raised his hand and shouted loudly.

“I’ll do the group fieldwork! I’ll go knock those pesky union flies down right away!”

“······!”

Only then did the office crew finally realize exactly what I meant by ‘group fieldwork.’

“I want to snag a Taeseong Chemical executive seat and get off work early for once!”

They finally understood the meaning of ‘early leave’ too.

“I’m confident too!”

“I’m great with excavators! Good with pliers and hammers, too!”

“Running my mouth is my specialty! Leave the megaphone to me!”

The Taeseong Construction executives glared like street thugs.

As they all raised their hands to volunteer, even the tutors, glancing around, timidly lifted their hands.

“Could we join in on group fieldwork and early leave too?”

“Of course.”

“Can we get promoted too?”

“Obviously.”

Even the tutors were now gleaming like back-alley kidnappers.

“Let’s go recruit new blood!”

“Let’s knock down the union and bring in new recruits!”

True to his fierce nature, Oh Jungseop moved as quickly as his temper.

He ran straight to the president’s office and kicked the door open.

“President!”

President Shim and Father, who’d been deep in discussion over the Taeseong Chemical issue, turned around, dumbfounded.

“What is it?”

“Leave the Taeseong Chemical issue to us!”